Quiz: Howstuffworks

Can You Identify All of This Equipment a Farmer Would Use?

Lauren Lubas

Image: Nick Brundle Photography / Moment / Getty Images

About This Quiz

America's farmers produce food that is exported all over the country as well as the food that we eat every day. The farming and agriculture industry takes up nearly 1 billion (with a B) acres of U.S. land. With over 2.2 million farms (as of 2007) giving us everything from chickens to avocados to grapes and all the way down to onions, the farming industry produces tons of crops and livestock that provide us with clothing, fuel and even plastic substitutes.

For anyone who has never been on a farm or done any farm work, it can be hard to imagine everything a farmer goes through to ensure healthy crops and high yields, and all of that hard work requires tool and equipment. Some of these tools are your standard hammers, nails and pitchforks, but others are made specifically for farming (and some of them for specific types of farming). If you are ready to dive into the world of farming, check this quiz. We found 40 tools and pieces of equipment that farmers use. Now, we want to see if you can identify each piece. We'll be impressed if you can name more than 30!

Wiki Commons by GT1976

This tool gets the stinky jobs done. What is it?

Manure spreader

Tractor

Sickle

Rototiller

Manure spreaders do just what it sounds like they do. They evenly spread manure and across fields. They can be purchased in various sizes, and depending on the size of your farm, you can get one that holds 8 cubic feet or one that holds 810 cubic feet.

Henry Arden / Cultura / Getty Images

Many grain farmers have one of these. What is it?

Rototiller

Combine

Seed spreader

Baler

Combines are used for harvesting large amounts of grain in a single swipe. They are also known as harvesters. Even small farms find that renting or hiring combine technicians is the most effective and efficient way to harvest.

Fancy/Veer/Corbis / Corbis / Getty Images Plus / Getty Images

What is the name of this tractor attachment?

Mincer

Tiller

Baler

Victor

Farm equipment companies don't play around with names. Balers create bales of hay. Though there are different types of balers (square and round), they are quite expensive, so it's essential to understand the baling process before making the investment.

Wiki Commons by USFWS Mountain-Prairie

Do you know the name of this machine?

Transplanter

Mower

Mechanical rake

Broadcast seeder

Broadcast seeders are available in various sizes and can be used on large or small farms. They are adjustable and can spread seeds in various-sized areas. You can get them to attach to a tractor or an ATV, or you can buy stand-alone ones as well.

Image Source / Image Source / Getty Images

Do you know what kind of shovel this is?

Spade

Post hole digger

Mucker

Coal

A spade shovel is best for digging. The shape of the tool allows farmers to sink the tool deep into the ground for maximum efficiency. They can also remove trash and soil from areas around the farm.

Comstock / Stockbyte / Getty Images

This tool is necessary for shaping the soil. What is it?

Rake

Hoe

Combine

Claw

A hoe can shape the soil and prepare long rows for planting. It is also used to keep weeds under control because it can chop the root structures of the weeds with ease. Most small farms have at least one of these.

Scotspencer / E+ / Getty Images

Once cows are milked, farmers use these to keep their yield fresh. What are they?

Milk pails

Bulk tanks

Cold storage

Fusion takes

Milk has to be kept at a specific temperature once it is retrieved from the cow in order to be sold. These takes help farmers keep their milk cold while they work throughout the day.

Lostinbids / E+ / Getty Images

You may know this as a pitchfork, but do you know what its real name is?

Pronger

Scraper

Spading fork

Villainous

Spading forks (or pitchforks) are used to get the roots of weeds out of the soil. They can also be used for composting, as they are great tools to turn and mix the materials (so you don't have to get your hands dirty).

Pixabay by Antranias

Do you recognize this device that has many uses?

Handcart

Trolly

Uniwheel

Wheelbarrow

Wheelbarrows are used for hauling, but the things they are capable of hauling are endless. They can move anything within their weight limits, from fertilizer to trash to wet cement.

Josef Mohyla / E+ / Getty Images

Can you name this heavy piece of machinery?

Irrigation

Scythe

Cultipacker

Cultivator

A cultivator helps farmers till the soil. It can break up large chunks of soil and remove weeds from the land. It also helps stir the soil and loosen it for planting. These generally attach to tractors.

PhotoStock-Israel / Moment / Getty Images

This machine is often used in areas with droughts. What is it?

Semiwheel

Spinwheel

Irrigation sprinkler

Hydro water

Irrigation sprinklers come in many shapes and sizes. However, if you're ever in an airplane and see circular farmland, you know that they are using an irrigation sprinkler, as they are generally put in the center of the field and they spin around it.

CJP / E+ / Getty Images

Do you know what kind of rake this is?

Flat rake

Bow rake

Long rake

Mechanical rake

Bow rakes are metal rakes with long, thin ends. They are tougher than the rakes we use to clean up leaves in the fall, and they have a lot of different purposes. However, they are mostly used for clearing garbage and gathering items for compost.

Wiki Commons by BulldozerD11

This is another tractor attachment. Do you know what it's called?

Power harrow

Long rake

Snake rake

Back ender

Power harrows are long pieces of equipment that attach to the ends of tractors. They come in multiple sizes, and they are generally used to prepare seed beds for every type of soil condition.

Fcafotodigital / E+ / Getty Images

This cutting tool is essential for tall grasses. Do you know what it's called?

Curved blade panga

Hatchet

Axe

Mattock

Curved blade pangas are very much like machetes. They have long blades that are curved upward (clearly). For the most part, they are used to remove large weeds and tall grass in the fields.

Wiki Commons by Kvr.lohith

Can you name this measuring tool?

Hook scale

Spring balance

Microscale

Macroscale

Spring balances are scales that help farmers weigh produce. In general, if a farmer is working at a market or brings goods to a retailer in smaller quantities, they will have at least one of these on hand.

Duckycards / E+ / Getty Images

It might look intimidating, but it is very helpful. What is it?

Combine

Tractor

Soil auger

Soil driller

Augers can be seen in many pieces of machinery, but farmers use soil augers to dig holes in the fields. For the most part, they are used for soil sampling and testing, so farmers know if they need to add anything.

Russell Platten via Youtube

While this tool looks interesting, it has a very important job. Do you know its name?

Upper

Crupper

Variance

Farm jack

They aren't used all too often on farms, but they are great for one specific job: removing T-posts from the ground. T-posts are parts of fences that anchor them to the ground. They are buried deep to give the fence stability, making them difficult to remove ... without a farm jack, that is.

Wiki Commons by Staff Sgt. Joshua Garcia

What is the name of this tool that is recommended for new farms?

Scooper

Fertilizer spreader

Tiller

Backhoe

Backhoes are great tools on the farm, especially new farms. They can move large amounts of soil and rock and help new farmers even out their fields. They're also great for digging out old tree stumps.

Pramote Polyamate / Moment / Getty Images

Most small farms have these. What are they?

Irrigators

Misters

Sprayers

Cleaners

The majority of farms need some kind of pesticide or herbicide to protect the crops from invasive weeds and insects. While organic foods are becoming more popular, some natural pesticides and herbicides don't contain chemicals that help organic farmers keep their crops safe.

AndyWorks / E+ / Getty Images

Do you know what this hand tool is called?

Sickle

Scythe

Milion

Trip rake

While they look archaic, scythes are large hand tools that have a long handle with an additional side handle. They have great accuracy and are very efficient for hand mowing and reaping crops.

Miguel Sotomayor / Moment / Getty Images

Can you name this piece of equipment that is necessary for dry days?

Drip irrigation system

Fly trappers

Rain catchers

Fall dividers

Drip irrigation systems are a different kind of irrigation system. They slowly drip water onto plants and can be installed above the soil or underneath. They were created to save on water usage, as they use a fraction of the water that most other irrigation systems use.

Don Farrall / Photodisc / Getty Images

This extra-large piece of equipment is essential during harvest season. What is it?

Grain cart

Produce sorter

Elevator

Wheat sucker

Grain carts are also called chaser bins. They are connected to tractors, and they follow harvesting equipment to ensure fast harvesting. This helps farmers get the work of dozens of men done in a fraction of the time.

STD / Moment / Getty Images

What is the name of this all-in-one tool?

Bull razor

Disc grinder

Cattle prod

Mull ranger

Disc grinders have become one of the most used tools on modern farms. They have several discs that can be interchanged based on the job the farmer is doing. These tasks include cutting, sanding and polishing.

BCWH / E+ / Getty Images

This tool is used for specific farms. What is it?

Cornhusker

Soy sheller

Cotton picker

Cotton gin

Cotton pickers are specific tools used on cotton farms. This large piece of machinery reduces the time it takes to harvest cotton while maximizing the efficiency of the cotton harvest. It is necessary for all cotton farms.

Wiki Commons by Corpse Reviver

You'll find this tool on rice farms. What is it?

Rice dryer

Rice squeezer

Squeeze ricer

Rice huller

Rice hullers work very much like cotton gins. They were created to help farmers husk the rice. The husk of rice is also known as the chaff. Farmers send the rice through this machine, and it drastically cuts husking time.

Wiki Commons by Evelyn Simak

Do you know the name of this piece of equipment that farmers use to even their fields?

Rock presser

Land smoosher

Ice packer

Cultipacker

Cultipackers are used for crushing large chunks of dirt and packing down rocks before seeds are spread. Afterward, they press the soil down onto the seed to ensure a tightly packed plant.

Wiki Commons by Peganum

What is this tool that is used to loosen top soil?

Hitch

Hype

Hornet

Harrow

Harrows are much like tillers, except they only work with the surface of the soil. Tillers tend to churn deeper soils to bring up any weeds or rocks that might be in the ground.

Boehm Farm via Youtube

This plough does a specific job. What kind of plough is it?

Mole plough

Chisel plough

Ridging plough

Switch plough

There are many different kinds of ploughs, but the chisel plough has a specific job. It cuts long rows deep into the soil without disrupting much of the soil that is next to it. This helps farmers make even rows for the harvest.

Henry Arden / Cultura / Getty Images

Can you name this interesting-looking device?

Seed drill

Crop drill

Sow drill

Till drill

A seed drill may not seem like an important tool for someone who isn't a farmer. However, this machine helps farmers plant seeds at the perfect depth to ensure the optimum growing capability.

Wiki Commons by BulldozerD11

Do you recognize this tool that farmers use?

Destoner

Stoner

Ridger

Filler

Destoners are generally used on farms that have rocky soil. They help farmers remove stones and large rocks from the planting areas and transplant them to furrows to help tractors get more traction on wet days.

Wiki Commons by Lesław Zimny

This piece of equipment can till up to around 15 inches. What is it called?

Pick axe

Subsoiler

Muller

Fill lifter

A subsoiler is also known as a flat lifter. It helps farmers dig deeper into their soils. Unlike most tilling machines, the subsoiler will usually only have one blade that has a sharpened tip.

STD / Moment / Getty Images

What kind of irrigation is this?

Roundhouse

Sippet

Water sprinkler

Snicket

Yes, farmers use regular old water sprinklers on their farms. While larger farms have complex and intricate irrigation systems, smaller farms find that a simple impact sprinkler does the job well enough.

Wiki Commons by Tommi Pitenius

While some might want to use this on the beach, farmers use it every spring before they plant. What is it?

Top soiler

Soil sifter

Mouse lifter

Stone picker

Stone pickers are interesting tools that sift through the top soil and collect any rocks or pebbles that can interfere with the planting or growing processes. These awesome machines are incredibly helpful on farms.

Wiki Commons by Oliver Dixon

It flattens without regard. Can you name it?

Stroller

Molder

Folder

Roller

Much like steam rollers help flatten asphalt during road construction, agricultural rollers flatten the fields and destroy large accumulations of soil. This helps the farmers work with equipment later.

Wiki Commons by Grimme Group

Do you recognize this machine that you'd find on a potato farm?

Potato sizer

Eye spreader

Potato harvester

Potato puller

Potato harvesters do exactly what their name suggests. They harvest potatoes. Remember that potatoes grow in the ground, making it impossible to use grain machinery to harvest them. Luckily for potato farmers, this bad boy was created.

Wiki Commons by Owacle

Can you name this machine that is generally found in the United States and Canada?

Slurper

Swather

Sleeper

Snuggler

Swathers are also known as windrowers. A windrow is a long line of grain or hay that is set out to dry in the wind. Swathers cut the hay or grain and pile them into a windrow. They're an essential time-saving tool for grain farmers.

JodiJacobson / E+ / Getty Images

In Illinois and Indiana, you might see a lot of these. What are they?

Corn harvester

Mow rower

Miller

Fill bucket

Illinois and Indiana are two states that produce quite a bit of corn (along with Iowa). Corn harvesters are used to strip the stalks of corn. It makes quick work (respectively) of harvesting corn.

Rolfo / Moment / Getty Images

What is this tool that most dairy farmers use?

Milking machine

Stopper

Glopper

Holder

Milking cows is not an easy business, but these little machines help retrieve milk from udders. While they still need to be attached by farmers, the act of tugging and pulling and milking is all done mechanically.

Wiki Commons by JoachimKohlerBremen

These massive machines clear vegetation. What are they?

Veggie reducers

Mulchers

Buckers

Malters

Mulching machines clear large portions of vegetation and forestry and (as you may have guessed) create mulch that can be used in home gardens or farms. These machines are huge and are usually rented through large equipment companies.

Cashels Quality Products via Youtube

Do you recognize this farming tool seen on most animal farms?

Bale transporter

Transporter bale

Bale splitter

Splitter bale

Bale splitters help farmers cut and transport bales from one area to another. They can also stack the bales as they please. It is a nice tool to have, but they are mostly found on animal farms.

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